Swimming Pool Inspections

At-home pools

Private pools can be tempting targets for youngsters who cannot swim. The City of Fargo's swimming pool regulations are designed to prevent tragedies by protecting these youngsters.

Under city ordinances, any swimming pool that is more than two feet deep and has a recirculation system is considered a permanent swimming pool. So even if your pool sits on your lawn and you put it away at the end of summer, the permanent pool regulations may still apply to you.

All permanent swimming pools must be completely enclosed by a fence or other permanent barrier that is at least five feet high.

The fence around your pool should include a gate or door which latches from the inside. For more information on properly enclosing your pool, contact staff in the Environmental Health Dvision of Fargo Cass Public Health by calling 476-6729 or e-mail them at health@cityoffargo.com.

Public and semi-public pools

All public and semipublic pool facilities are required to adhere to the rules set forth in the Fargo Municipal Code. The primary goal of these rules is to ensure a safe swimming pool facility by approving the pool designs, regulating water quality, and enforcing recordkeeping practices. Proper swimming pool design and operating practices protect the public against:

infections transmitted through the pool.

infections transmitted through the bathhouse facilities.

physical injury within and about the pool.

The following is a summarized list of the pool regulations enforced by the Environmental Health Department:

Blueprint design and construction practices must be approved prior to the construction of any semipublic or public pools or spas.

Routine bacteriological sampling must be conducted at least once a week for public installations and once monthly for semipublic facilities.

The owner or operator of a pool facility shall maintain on the premises records of microbiological analyses, all pool-related correspondence, plus documentation of daily operation and maintenance practices for a minimum of three years.

Swimming pool water must have sufficient clarity at all times so that the main drain or drains located at the deep end of the pool are clearly visible from the pool deck.

All pool facilities shall disinfect the pool water by continuous chlorination or other means or methods of equal bactericidal efficiency.